Back to you
by eJemima
Summary: When Katherine, Kai and the Donovans escaped hell, they weren't the only ones. With her, one of the most powerful beings had been extinct and with her, it returned. Who is she or more like what is she? What is her connection, to the captured hybrid in New Orleans? Response to TO S04E01 Klaus/Iris ;) COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Okay, so here's the first part of what I plan to be a two-shot, because well, I was suddenly inspired ;)

It's also, somehow my repsonse to the first episode of season four of the Originals.

It's featuring a character that you may know, if you've read some of my other work, however this is a bit different take on her.

Also, I should say, that it's a tiny bit cross over with TVD, with a guest apperance at the beginning, otherwise it's all TO and OC ;)

I hope you like it ;)

* * *

 **Back to you**

"Are you sure you won't stick around a bit longer?" Katherine asked and stuck her head through the open car window of the black Rover, "We could use your help and it'll be fun, I promise." She added and blinked mischievously. The redhead chuckled and shook her head. It was early evening, as she had finally been able to pack up her few belongings and part with her newly found friends, despite their continued insisting for her to stay. They had tirelessly tried to make her join them, for whatever they had been scheming for the last month, ever since coming back.

"That's your revenge fantasy Kat, not mine." She answered with a friendly grin and turned on the ignition, "I've got somewhere else to be. Things to do."

The Petrova doppelgänger hummed and rested her hand on the car door as she stood back a little.

"Are you sure you got this?" She asked with a doubtful look, "I mean, it's barely been a month and the world has changed quite a bit since 1324."

The redhead sat the car in gear and looked out the back mirror shortly before looking at her friend.

"I'm a fast learner." She answered and shrugged non-chalantly, "New Orleans, right?"

Katerina nodded.

"If he's even still there. I mean, it's already years since I send him off." She said and crooked her brows thoughtful, "Close to seven years I believe."

"Well, if anything, it's a start at least." The redhead pointed out, "Now, bye Kat, thanks - for everything. And be careful, okay?"

Katerina gave the redhead a smile and nodded.

"Go get him then," She said before stepping away from the car," Be sure to mention how I helped you out, I'm still not sure he wouldn't come after me still…" The doppelganger added making a face. The redhead let out a laugh.

"I'll be sure to tell him how well-behaved you've been."

 **(...)**

Iris glance from the phones GPS to the sign she drove by, telling her, she had 34 miles left to the city of New Orleans. She drew a sigh and leaned back in the seat, her hands resting on the steering wheel and a foot placed gently on the speeder. The road was straight, however the traffic was heavy and slow, allowing Iris to sit back and take it easy.

It was still unreal how much the world had changed. Iris had not only come back into a world completely different from the one she had left, but an entirely new part of it as well.

She had died in Italy and returned in America, a part of the world undiscovered in 1324. Sure, her family had told her of the place, they had been born and raised, but it had seemed so far away. If was almost ironic that that would be the place she returned to life after all these centuries. But then again, Iris had felt it the moment she returned - the magic of the place souring through the air and resting in the earth, the stones, the threes. It was no wonder the place had such a long history of well, magical disasters. At least that's what it sounded like when Katerina Petrova had told about the thing happening there.

Iris thought about her friend. Thanks to her, the afterlife, after the collapse of the Other side, hadn't been too bad. In fact, the two women had been treated like queens in Cade's little dark world until they had finally seen a way for coming back to the world of the living. It was Katerina as well, who had taken it upon herself to introduce Iris to the wonders of this new world.

Cars, phones, internet, music, television - electricity and all sorts of drinks and food.

Iris still felt somewhat blown away by it all, however she had always been a quick learner and found it easy to adapt to new things. The fact that she was now, sitting alone in a car, trusting a phone to tell her where to go, was a key witness of just that.

Iris felt it the moment she crossed the New Orleans city sign. This was just one of many negative effects of returning as a mortal and not a vampire. She had gotten so used to the relief of her vampire state, that she had completely forgotten all the struggles and vulnerability of her mortal body.

Iris held in at the side of the road and had to stop the car as she learned forward, resting her head on the steering wheel and closed her eyes, taking in several deep breaths.

Mystic Falls had been hard to handle, however that had been a small town and New Orleans seemed to be even worse.

She felt everything in the mere air and could hardly imagine how it would feel like to touch its ground, its trees.

Such darkness, almost suffocating.

Before, Iris had somehow managed to tolerate the darkness. She had taught herself to close it off, but coming back, her body had been reborn and returned to the way it was before everything had happened. Her body had returned to the state, to the innocence she had as a child. Iris even remembered her first years, as that innocent child. She remembered her parents, siblings, her family and her people. She remembered how happy they had all been and even more, she remembered that day as if it had been yesterday.

The magic, coursing in the air, it was the same as back then and it made her sick to her stomach. That and then there was all the pain, death, jealousy, lust, greed... The city was full of it and Iris had to wonder if all cities were like this. Had the world always been like this? If this was the case, it was no wonder her people had stuck to themselves, because being outside the sanctuary of the forests, with this sensitive body, was just agonizing. How had she managed to push it all away back then? Had the trauma of losing her family been so big that her body had shut it all off? If that was the case, would she be able to do it again?

Iris took a last deep breath and sat up straight, looking at the road ahead of her.

She had to focus on him. Iris could, would get through this if it meant just getting a glimpse of him again.

He was all that mattered.

It was midday, when the redhead stepped out of the parked car in one of the streets of the French Quarter. This was where Katerina said she had send him years ago with a small letter. This was his last know destination. Chances of him being here were small, but as of now, that small chance was all she had.

Iris looked around. The buildings looked different from the ones she had passed coming here. We're they supposed to be significantly French? Iris shook her head.

She couldn't know.

The France she knew, had been boult castles and small wooden huts, like the rest of her known Europe. The discoveries of electrical devices weren't the only things that had changed, but the architecture and structure had changed considerably as well, it seemed.

Not to mention the fashion.

Iris grinned, as she remembered how much her family had been against her, wanting to wear pants. By the looks of it, it was now a norm, for women to be dressed in pants.

And then there was the way people acted in public.

Lovers being indulged in kisses and inappropriate touching for everyone to see. Young women walking around without a chaperone, looking like someone from the nearest whorehouse.

Iris took a deep breath and calmed herself for a moment. She had to concentrate on her reason for being here and headed to the other side of the street, when she saw something representing a tavern. Taverns used to be the best place to get local information, she had to at least see if that had changed as well.

Iris scanned to bar entering, finding only a few occupants, huddled up in the corners. She guessed that most people, in this day and age, had better things to do during the day, then to drink it all away. She headed for the blond female keeper behind the bar.

"Hello there," The friendly female said and put down the glass she had been polishing, "what can I get you?"

Iris blinked, as she suddenly realized she had no idea what people drank these days. She doubted they would serve mead at a small local tavern like this. Was beer even still a thing?

"Eh, whiskey, please." She tried, remembering Katerina having served her this before leaving. The bar keeper smiled and nodded before leaving Iris to find the drink.

"Sorry, but I was wondering if you could be of some help to me," Iris said as the bar keeper returned with her drink, "you see, I'm looking for someone. Someone who should have come here some seven years ago."

"Well, I've only been working here for a few years," The bar keeper admitted and picked up another glass to polish, "but I'm French Quarter born and bred, so maybe I can still help."

Iris gave the young woman a thankful nod and took a sip of the drink. She made a face, not used to the strong taste, before looking back at the woman.

"I'm looking for a man named Niklaus Mikaelson, do you know of him?" Iris asked and gave the blond a cautious look. The woman blinked a few times then grinned.

"Oh yes." She then said and put down the polished glass, "There's not a local in the Quarter who doesn't know that name. Him and his family has been quite the talk for years." The woman added and then frowned, "However, it's been almost four years since anyone has heard from them. One day they were suddenly gone, as if they just upped and left. They used to live just around the corner, but that building has been empty for years now."

Iris nodded thoughtful and took another sip of the whiskey, staring at nothing in particular.

"You know," the young bar keeper said suddenly, pulling Iris out of her thoughts, "There's been a lot of people coming here, over the years, asking about him and his family, but you, you somehow seem different from them." She pointed out and crooked her head looking at Iris closer, "Would you mind telling me how you know him?" Iris looked up and met the woman's curious eyes.

"He saved me." She answered simply and took another sip of the drink, "back when I was in my mid-teens, when I was..." Iris stopped and drew a long sigh, " let's just say I was very lost and in a very dangerous situation, when he suddenly showed up."

The bar keeper crooked a smile and leaned over the bar, closer to Iris.

"Well, this is the first time I hear of someone who actually love him." She said in a low voice, meeting Iris' eyes, "Most people around here speak of him with disgust and hate evident in their voices."

"They never cared to know him the way I did." Iris replied with a hint of annoyance and put down her empty glass, "Thank you for the information." She added and got up as she pulled out money for the service, "Have a good day."

 **(...)**

As Iris entered the small courtyard, her mind was immediately invaded by images and visions. She saw the figures of her family, as they fought each other and shared enemies. She felt their pain, their humiliation as they were beaten by someone who had become their superior. She let out a painful cry and collapsed on the cold stone floor, she fought to clear her mind of the memories of the place. It wasn't long before she had somewhat managed to subside the invasion, when she heard footsteps behind her.

"So you're the one asking about Klaus, huh?" A male voice asked coming closer, "Who are you?"

She sensed them before slowly getting up, drying her eyes, as she turned to face them.

Vampires. Five of them, all of them a few centuries old. Her eyes landed on the one standing closest to her, the one who had spoken. Iris recognized him from the visions she just had. Something stirred inside of her, as she felt something akin to pure hate towards this man, she had never met before but knew all too well what had done.

He took a step closer to her.

"I'm Marcel and this is my town." He introduced and put a hand on his chest, pointing at himself, "We've enjoyed quite a few years of peace in this city and I'd prefer to keep it that way."

Iris clenched her fists and took a step closer to the man calling himself Marcel.

"You should have thought of that, before you decided to hurt my family." Iris sneered with a whisper as she stopped inches from the man, "By doing this, you've declared war on one of the most powerful beings alive, are you sure you'll be able to handle that?"

Marcel crooked a brow looking down at her unimpressed.

"Who? You?" He asked with a huff and crossed his arms, "What do you think a mortal like you will be able to do against me and my army of vampires?"

Iris didn't answer him at first, but held his eyes with a demeaning glare.

"Oh, you'd be surprised." She answered with a cold sneer and pushed him aside, "Try asking your prisoner about the young woman he met in 1116, I'm sure he'd be able to tell you about things you couldn't even imagine." She added with a smirk, walking past the other vampires, "Oh and while you're at it, be a dear and tell him to hold on, just a little longer. I'll be coming for him soon."

 **(...)**

Iris slammed the car door next to her and let out a long breath as closed her eyes leaning back in the car seat. She could barely hold it together anymore. This body and this place. She was too vulnerable, too distracted and exposed. The magic and the darkness prickled at her, trying to tear her apart. Every muscle, every part of her hurt like a thousand knives. There was no way she could help him in this state. She would most like end up exploding and destroy the entire city. Her kind wasn't created to be in places like this or a world like this for that matter. They were created to keep the balance between light and darkness. Conquer the darkness little at the time, piece by piece. With this amount of darkness at one place, their minds would see no other way than just destroy it all and start anew from the bottom. Besides, this most power was never meant to reside in just one being, it was meant to be divided into thousands of others like her.

Iris opened her eyes and turned on the car. She needed to learn to control it again. Right now, it took everything in her to not just let it all go. She had done this in the past. It had destroyed entire villages and killed anything alive within it. She couldn't ever let something like that happen again. No one deserved that.

Iris had learned to control it before and she would again.

She knew who to ask for help and she knew where to go.

"Nik, if you can hear me, I'm sorry." She said aloud as she changed the gear, "Please hold on, I'll be back for you soon."

 **(...)**

The pain faded slowly as he became more aware, his mind growing clearer with every heartbeat. He sat up straight in the next moment, breathing in heavily.

The first thing he noticed was the chains around his neck and wrists being gone, then the warmth coursing through his cold body and his mind becoming more clear than it had been in what felt like forever.

"This is really something…" A voice caught Klaus' attention, "And it has cost you quite some agony, hasn't it?"

The hybrid's eyes landed on a woman standing across from him, leaned against the moist stone wall of the cell. He blinked confused by who he was seeing. The woman was wearing tight dark jeans with high heels in a rose red. A line of pale skin was revealed between the jeans and the white top under the open leather jacket. Long red hair was collected over one shoulder, revealing a slender pearly white neck. Petite ears were decorated with silver jewellery, matching the chain around her neck. Elegant fingers ended with fierce nails, polished deep red, same colour as the smirking lips. Hands held the witch knife, caressing it slowly as it twirled between fingers.

Klaus jumped a little in surprise, as the knife suddenly burst into flames. A small cry filled the cell, as the knife quickly burned to ashes in the woman's hands and disappeared through fingers. Klaus looked from the smouldering ashes of the knife and glanced up at the woman with a certain apprehension.

He was immediately met with deep turquoise eyes, staring back at him intensely.

"Who are you?" He asked guarded, "how did you…"

The woman sighed and pushed herself off the wall as she dusted off her hands in her jeans.

"Come on Nik," She said approaching him slowly, "I know I've been dead for 700 years, but really, I would like to think that the 200 years we did spend together, was special enough for you to remember." She said and kneeled to sit in front of him, "I even left a message for your capturer to deliver..."

Klaus' eyes widened slowly as he remembered. Marcel had asked him something, rather out of place, a year or so ago. Klaus had wondered why Marcel, who had no way, no reason to, had asked Klaus about a girl he had met in the early 12th century.

"No." He whispered and pulled back a little, "There is no way you could be... you said it yourself; she's been dead for seven centuries. I watched her die!"

"I know." She said somewhat dejected, "You kept screaming my name. Your cries were the last thing I heard. Your desperate and tearful eyes the last I saw. It's not something I will ever be able to forget. No matter how many centuries go by, dead or alive."

Klaus closed his eyes and shook his head.

"You can't be..." He mumbled, "How could you...?" He asked and opened his eyes meeting hers. The red head sighed.

"When the Other side collapsed, I was pulled into this other place. There I met an old acquainted of yours, one Katerina Petrova and when there was a chance to get back to this world, we caught it with a few others and voila." She said and held out her arms with a crooked smile. Klaus rose a brow by the mention of the infamous doppelgänger. Things related to her could rarely be trusted and it didn't surprise him that she would find a way out of hell. He watched the red head for a silent moment, then huffed. But then again, from what he remembered of the woman in front of him, if she was indeed who she said, it shouldn't be a surprise, if the two women got along. They had a bit of the same stubbornness and mischievousness about them.

"If you're who you claim to be, then... what makes that you now?" Klaus wanted to know. It seemed to be different, somehow, what kind of body, people returning from the death was in. Sure, she looked to the same she had the day she was killed, but the hybrid couldn't sense anything about her. Normally, he would have been able to sense if she had been a vampire, witch or a werewolf for that matter. But as she was now she seemed... human.

"My body was completely reborn." She said with a small smile, "I came back feeling and sensing everything, it was horrible, especially going into the bigger cities." She began and looked down at her folded hands, "Katerina really was a big help, so please show her a little mercy if you ever see her again." She pointed out and glanced up at him for a moment, "I was here. I was up-stairs when I met that Marcel guy. But I couldn't. It was so hard to keep it all under control, there was no way I'd be able to help you in any way back then. Not with the way I was."

"I know." Klaus said his voice low almost a mumble, "I heard you."

The red head offered him a small smile, which he returned gently. Klaus remembered having heard a voice. He hadn't known from where it came or who it had been, but it had given him a little hope and reassurance that he'd get through it all. The hybrid understood why she had left him back then. He remembered the things she had struggled with before becoming a vampire. He had read and studied about her people and knew the kind of power they held. Best, it could be compared to the power Davina had had, holding the power of all four harvest girls, just before her sacrifice and yet, that amount couldn't even cut close to the things the woman in front of him had been capable off when he first met her.

"And now?" Klaus asked giving her a curious look.

"I would be here if I couldn't control it Nik." She answered and rolled her eyes at him, "Don't worry, I won't blow up your city. Not unless they're asking for it if cause."

Klaus sighed and looked down.

"You shouldn't have come here, even if you've got control of your powers, you're still mortal, it's too dangerous for you here."

The red head chuckled and move in closer to the hybrid.

"Remember that thing we talked about, when we decided to get married?" She asked, making Klaus look up, their faces inches apart, "That thing I should do, so we could keep our forever and beyond?" She clarified and smirked when the hybrids eyes widened in realization.

"Did you..?"

She nodded with a grin,

"The tree bond." He mumbled, not taking his eyes off her, "You found your people's forest?"

"I did." She nodded and grinned, "So I'm afraid you're stuck with me for at least a couple of thousand years, give or take."

The tree bond was one of her people's greatest spell's, in which the spell caster bound their life to a tree and with that would be able to live for centuries. With this bond, they would only able to die, if the tree itself was cut down or burned. It was something only they could do, because of their strong connection to nature and it was something which had been the course of much envy.

Klaus remembered talking about tis in the past, as they talked about their future together. This way, she wouldn't have to become a vampire or end up dying of old age, but they would have been able to live a life together as two immortal beings.

The hybrid crooked a grin and sighed relieved as he leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers.

"It took some time," She whispered, her breath mixing with his, "but I finally came back to you."

Klaus let out a small chuckle and reached up, his fingers gently intervening with her hair.

"Well, well isn't this cute?"

A well-known and slightly amused voice broke the comfortable silence. The two opened their eyes and stared at each other, listening to the steps of haft a dozen vampires entering the cell.

Klaus noticed the wicked smirk forming on bloody red lips and smirked in return.

* * *

 **A/N:** How did you like it?

For those of you who already know Iris, her story is slightly different in this one. In this, she didn't come back to life after being killed in 1324, as she does in the other stories, at least not until 700 years later. And well, she's back to being the being she was before coming a vampire, which is very interesting to write ;)

So, what did you think? :)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** So, here's the second and last part! Thank you so much for all the lovely comments and support! They mean a lot!

Especially thank you to cuttiepattotie and mrs Tall Blonde and Dead, your comments warmed my heart and made me smile. Thank you so much for reading my stories! This completion is for you guys, hope you like it :)

Enjoy! :D

* * *

They stood up slowly, Klaus stumbling a little, feeling the fratigue of weeks at the mercy of the witch knife.

Turning, they came face to face with Marcel and a dozen of vampires, entering the cell.

"Oh it's you again." Marcel said with a grin plastered on his face, "I wondered when we'd see you again, after your bold and somewhat naive declaration." He added with a small chuckle as he walked closer to the two.

Klaus stepped in front of the red head, in a protective pose, stopping Marcel before he could reach her.

"If you touch her, I swear, you have another thing coming." Klaus growled, dark yellow flashing in glaring eyes, "Don't push your luck Marcellus."

Marcel blinked a few times, then laughed out loud.

"What's this?" He laughed, utterly amused, "Who is she, that you would come with such demands, despite you're clearly weaken state?" Marcel asked and took a step closer to the hybrid, "I could kill you, without hesitation. You're at my mercy!"

The vampire flashed in front of Klaus and graphed the redhead behind him. She let out a pained groan, as Marcel sank his teeth into her neck.

"No!" Klaus screamed and was ready to attack Marcel head on, when the vampire was suddenly slammed into the cell bars by an invincible force. He cried out in pain, as a thick wooden root grew out of the ground and pierced him. Smaller roots circled up his legs and cell bars, binding him to the bars. The others stood frozen for a moment, surprised by the sudden turn of events. The moment they gathered their bearings and made attempts to attack, a wall of burning flames shot up between them and Marcel.

Klaus looked from Marcel to the red head slightly perplexed. She hissed in pain, touching the bite as it slowly closed, rejecting the poison. She looked up when she felt Klaus and Marcel's eyes on her.

"What?" She asked innocently and dried the wolf venom off her neck non-chalantly, "You really thought something like this would hurt me?" The red head shook her head and laughed, "Come on, I'm not a vampire and it takes way more than this to end me."

Klaus grinned and turned from her to Marcel.

"You were saying, Marcellus?" The hybrid asked, lips curling into a self-satisfied smirk, "I don't believe the two of you has been properly introduced." He added and pointed between the two, "Iris, meet my adopted son; Marcellus Gerard. Marcel, my adopted sister; Iris Mikaelson."

Iris gave a small bow by the mention of her name and glanced at Marcel with a wicked grin.

"Sister?" Marcel breathed and rose a doubtful brow, as he tried to ignore the burning pain in his chest, "That's not the impression I got seeing the two of you."

Iris and Klaus exchanged a look, before the hybrid let out a sigh and lay an arm around Iris' shoulder.

"Iris is a Mikaelson through and through, in everything but birth, I assure you." He said with a hint of pride. Iris let out a small chuckle and slapped Klaus playfully.

"Aw Nik, you're making me blush." She giggled, before she suddenly stopped and looked at Marcel, deep turquoise eyes icy cold.

"I told you, didn't I?" She asked with a low hiss and stepped up to Marcel. She graphed his chin with one hand, making him look at her, "When you hurt my family, you declared war." She held out her other hand towards the flames, which immediately started to fade, "Now, which one of your small pawns should we end first?" Iris asked, her voice dangerously calm, as she turned her head to look at the vampires on the other side of the fading fire.

It happened suddenly, without a hint of a warning, as several of the vampires collapsed with agonizing screams and choking gasps. A few burst into flames, as others turned grey as they started desiccating as if they hadn't fed for decades.

Klaus looked on in awe, as roots started sprouting out of the ground and from in between the boulders, stabbing another few of the vampires. Heavy stones levitated and bars broke free from their sockets and flew straight for the remaining standing vampires.

With a few left standing, all frozen in place, eyes wide in fear, Iris released Marcel and stepped over a few bodies, before stopping in front of the terrified vampires.

"You know," She began slowly, closely watching the vampire in front of her, "we all talk about being immortal, invincible at what not, but when all comes down to it, not even the most powerful being will be able to live through their head or entire body exploding from the inside out." She pointed out calmly and held the vampire's look.

Klaus had heard the screams before. The way the vampire collapsed, hands clutching his head, the way his body twisted in agony - Klaus had seen all this when he had first met Iris.

He expected the sickening sound of bones cracking and torn flesh against the stone wall. The hybrid let out a tired sigh and turned to Marcel. The vampire stared at the scene, horror in his eyes. Klaus crooked his head in wonder. This was new. The great and insufferable Marcellus Gerard, self-acclaimed king of the French Quarter, was actually horrified by what he was seeing. This reminded Klaus just how young the vampire was and how sheltered a life he had led in the city of New Orleans. It reminded him how different Iris and Marcel was, despite both of them having been brought in and raised by the Mikaelsons. What had been different, for Iris to have such fierce love and loyalty towards him and his siblings? Where had they failed with Marcel, for him to hate them so much? Was it because the Mikaelsons still had been young, unsoiled and closer to their human nature, when they'd brought in Iris or was it their experiences and life from before joining the Mikaelson household that had made the difference?

Iris had always been one of the only people, who technically, would be able to kill the lot of them, with the trick she just demonstrated and yet, Klaus knew, without a doubt, that she was the one person, who never would kill them. Not unless they sincerely asked her to. Iris was the one and only person Klaus trusted completely. The single person who had never given him a reason to doubt her, but stayed loyal to him for as long as she had lived.

"That was quite the performance." Klaus said impressed, as Iris walked back to him and Marcel. She crooked a grin.

"I told you; I had it under control, didn't I?" The redhead said and dried the droplets of blood of her face, "Besides, I was greatly motivated and it's been a while since I was able to go all out."

Klaus reached out his hand with a soft smile and ran a hand through her hair gently.

"Thank you." He whispered and leaned in, giving her a fleeting kiss.

"Wha-what are you?" Marcel groaned, feeling weaker by the moment as the root piercings him was painted red from his blood.

Iris and Klaus turned their attention from each other to the impaled vampire.

"I'm Iris Mikaelson, adopted sister of the Original siblings," The redhead said and moved to Marcel, "That's what matters. You have ancestral witches in your town, right?" She asked, stopping inches from him, "Why don't you try asking them about what I am?" She hissed with a hint of bitterness, "They should know it all too well."

 **(...)**

"What happened here?!" Vincent asked and looked around at the macabre scene as he helped Marcel free from his wooden chains.

"That's what I'd like to know." The vampire mumbled annoyed, "Do you happen to know of someone, who's able to manipulate the elements, move things at will and even explode heads. Someone who's not a witch and are immortal?"

"The only beings that I know able to do such things, has been instinct for 900 years." Vincent answered as he continued to free the vampire, "I read about them as a kid, in old books telling about legends and myths. There's no way-"

"I know what I saw." Marcel interrupted annoyed with the regent, "What were they?"

Vincent stopped and looked up at Marcel, eyes dead serious, "What you just described was a perfect description of a warrior elemental. If, by some miracle, one survived the witch war and you encountered it here, then you're lucky to still be breathing. An elemental of the warrior line, is one of the most powerful beings to ever have existed."

"How did Klaus end up having someone like that as an adopted sister?" Marcel pondered, mostly to himself.

"If there's someone like that in town, then we have a serious problem." Vincent continued, not hearing Marcel.

The vampire groaned as he was finally free from the roots and bend over, clutching his pierced chest. Vincent watched him for a silent moment before sighing.

"Here." He said and pulled out a bag of blood from his back pocket, "I figured you'd need this."

Marcel accepted the blood and greedily emptied the bag within seconds. He let out a relieved breath as he felt his wound saturating to heal.

"She said that you ancestral witches would know what she was, why?" The vampire wanted to know and looked up at Vincent. The witch looked down, avoiding Marcel's look.

"Because of a dark spot in the history of the ancestors. I told you that they have been extinct for 900 years, right?" Vincent asked and paused for a moment, "It was the ancestors who did the extermination during the third witch war and they did so out of jealousy of the Elemental's supreme powers." He continued regretfully, "The story goes that the ancestors were punished, by the other magical fractions, because of it and exiled to the new world. I don't know if there's a truth to that though. I don't any witch who's tried to travel outside of America."

"Do you think she'd want to take revenge for that?" Marcel questioned, making Vincent look at him.

"The Elementals is said to have been gentle peace lovers and noble beings, something like revenge wouldn't have been in their nature, however," Vincent paused and took another look, at the scene around him, "if she was adopted into the Mikaelsons, as you said... I'm not sure about what she'll be capable off..."

"Right..." Marcel mumbled and threw the empty blood bag from him and looked at his fallen vampires, "They destroy and twist everything they touch..." He said bitterly and looked back at Vincent with a new determination, "Fortunately, vampires are very vengeful creatures, so how do we kill her?"

The witch shook his head and closed his eyes with a sigh.

"Elementals are mortals and can die like any other, unless..." He pauses and looked up at Marcel, eyes wide.

"Unless, what?" The vampire asked with an annoyed growl, having a feeling that any simply method would end the woman he'd seen earlier.

"Unless they made a tree bond, meaning they bound their life to a tree," Vincent said and made a face, "in which case, the only way to kill them will be to cut down or burn the tree."

"Burn a tree?" Marcel asked with a raised brow, "What tree?"

Vincent shrugged and headed out of the cell.

"Could be any tree." He answered as Marcel followed him, "Any tree from here, to the rainforests, the savanna, to the green forests of Europe, Asia and the Oceanic. Any tree."

 **(…)**

"Thank you sweetheart." Klaus said and blinked, giving the receptionist a charming smile, as she handed him the keycard. He turned, ready to head for his suite and found Iris standing in the middle of the reception, mouth and eyes wide, as she looked around. The large golden chandelier hanging from the ceiling, the indoor water fountain, the extravagant decor. All sorts of people, guests and staff passing her in a haste, wearing everything from staff uniforms, to big fur coats and small dresses.

The hybrid crooked a smile and walked up to her. It had been like this when they got out of the car in front of the hotel. She had looked up the building and mumbled something about it being taller than Chateau de Coucy. Klaus had been confused by her reference at first, but then remembered the woman had been out of this world for seven centuries and the architecture she knew was castles in the old world.

"Come on love," He said and took her hand, "I got us a room." Iris let herself being dragged along by him, as she continued to look around in wonder. When they reached the elevators, Iris jumped in surprise when the elevator door opened.

"I am not going in there." She said sceptic and let go of Klaus' hand, taking a step back, "The walls literally just opened up and you're walking into a small contained room without a second thought?" Iris asked somewhat outraged, as people passed her, walking into the elevator without hesitation. Klaus sighed and rested one hand on his hip, as the elevator doors closed behind him.

"It's fine Iris." He tried to assure her, "It's a mean of transportation, like a car, only it goes up. You saw how tall the building was, right?"

"What?" Iris asked crooking a brow and crossed her arms, "You don't have stairs in this century?"

"It's the 25th floor Iris." Klaus said trying to reason with her. The red head gave him a look as if asking how that was a reason to risk your life walking in to the unknown.

"I get it." She said finally with a small nod, "People in this century have become lazy mules."

Iris received a few looks from the people waiting for the elevator to return. She sighed resigned and shrugged. Klaus chuckled and shook his head.

"Yes, indeed." He confirmed and reached out to retrieve her hand.

Iris reluctantly let herself being pulled into the elevator by Klaus, clutching his hand and scowled at the other people giving her weird looks. She had never been too fond of small places and the people who kept entering the small room, didn't make the situation any better. When the doors closed, Iris let out a panicked scream, as she felt an uncomfortable pull in her stomach. She graphed onto Klaus, hiding her face in his chest, holding on to him for dear life. He felt her hands, clutching his shirt, trembling and pulled his arms around her comforting.

"It's alright love." He whispered in her ear, ignoring the weirded-out glances from the people around them, "It's supposed to be like this. This is normal."

"Normal?" Iris asked, her voice low and shaking as she looked up at him, "Nothing about this world is normal Nik." She shook her head a little and hid her face again, "It's terrifying."

Klaus pulled her closer, as he felt her body starting to tremble, trying to give a little sense of comfort and safety.

By the time they reached the 25th floor, the people in the elevator had thinned out, with only the two of them and another, elderly couple. They all got out on the last floor.

"You two make a lovely couple." The old woman said with a soft smile, as they walked out of the elevator, "It's a good husband you've got yourself there." She told Iris and winked as Klaus gave Iris a small peck and went ahead unlocking the door to their suite, "He reminds me of my Eric, when we were young." The woman said with a small chuckle.

"Why do you think he's my husband?" Iris asked curiously crooking her head. The old woman blinked a few times.

"I'm sorry, was I wrong?" She asked and blushed a little, "It's just you two gave off a feeling of that kind of love."

Iris smiled at the woman and shook head.

"No, you're not wrong." She said gently and glanced at Klaus who had opened the door and stood waiting for her.

"Be sure to enjoy each other to the fullest." The woman said, drawing Iris' attention back to her, "It may feel like you've got all the time in the world now, while you're young, but one day you'll wake up, old and weary and you'll know your time together, in this world, will end soon."

Iris gave the woman a small smile.

"Don't worry." She said, "For us, it doesn't just feel like we have forever."

Iris bid the woman good bye and walked to Klaus waiting for her. She gave him a small kiss and entered the suite.

"It's times like these, that I'm thankful about who and what we are." Iris said with a small smile as she looked around in the grand suite.

"About us being immortals?" Klaus asked and threw the key card on the hall desk, before looking at Iris. He had overheard the conversation between her and the old lady and figured the red head was referring to that meeting. Iris hummed and turned back towards him, leaning against the back of a couch.

"I remember how I wasn't at all ready to be separated from you when I realized they were gonna kill me." She said and looked down, fiddling with a loose tread in the couch, "And that was after 200 years with you. These people only have each other for what, 70 years at most?" She shook her head and looked up, catching his blue eyes, "How could that ever be enough time, to spend with the person you love the most? It's scary, to not have forever together."

Klaus walked to her slowly, never taking his eyes from hers. Reaching her, he lifted his hands cupping her face and intervening his fingers in her red hair. He leaned down, giving her a kiss, fleeting and hesitant at first, as if asking permission. Then Iris stood up straight and put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, as the kiss quickly grew deeper and more passionate.

"You have no idea, how much I've missed you." Klaus whispered, when their lips parted for air, "How much I've needed you."

Iris met his eyes again and dried away a small tear. She crooked a soft smile and pushed a few strands of hair from his face and stared at him.

"I'm home Nik." She whispered back and rested her head against his with a relieved sigh.

Iris pulled away a little, as she pushed off her jacket, top and heels, before proceeding to undress Klaus. Dressed down to the underwear, Iris took the hybrid's hands and lead him to the bathroom. She turned on the warm shower and took off the last pieces of clothes before pushing Klaus into the shower, following him closely.

The kiss was more hungry, needier than the previous ones, as naked skin clashed with naked skin.

 **(...)**

Klaus watched her peaceful face, as she slept. The early morning light, sneaking through the curtains, meant the hybrid had gone an entire night, without a wink of sleep and yet, he had never felt more awake and energized than now. In this moment. He'd had a permanent grin on his face since the night before and hadn't been able to fall asleep. Partly out of excitement and partly out of fear. If he allowed himself to fall asleep, anything could happen. Iris could disappear or he could wake up, back in the cell, realizing all this had been a dream or hallucination. Klaus had had those with Cami, so the chances of the knife, playing him an even crueler trick, digging deep into him and conjuring Iris was a possibility. The hybrid suddenly got scared.

Could she be real?

Everything had seemed a little too good to be true and a little too easy. Klaus looked at her and reached out and touched her face gently. This was when he noticed a distant voice calling his name. The hybrid shook his head, trying to shake it off, not wanting to let go. When the voice continued, it became louder and Klaus realized he knew it or rather them. There were three different voices calling for him. Elijah, Rebekah and Kol.

Klaus sat up in the bed and looked around the empty bedroom. There was no one there.

"No, no, no..." Klaus mumbled and shook his head, "No-"

 **(...)**

"No!" Klaus sat up with a flash, causing his siblings to pull away a little in surprise. He looked from one to the other, as they stood around him, all with confused looks.

"No, no, no..." Klaus mumbled, "Put me back. The knife, where is it?!" He asked as he realized he was back in the cold cell, where he'd spend the past five years as Marcel's prisoner. The hybrid fumbled on the ground, searching for the witch knife.

It couldn't have been a hallucination.

Klaus needed it to be real. He needed her.

"Is he supposed to act like that afterwards?" Kol asked in a loud whisper leaning close to Elijah. The older original shook his head, brows furrowed in worry and kneeled down to face his brother.

"Niklaus, what are you talking about?" Elijah asked concerned. Klaus looked up at him, feeling his body starting to shake.

"Iris." He whispered, his voice trembling, "She was there. She was alive. I need to go back to her."

"Iris?" Kol asked confused and raised a brow at his brother, "What are you talking about?"

The three siblings exchanged a confused look. Klaus' eyes widened as something dropped inside him. His siblings didn't remember her. Did that mean she hadn't been real to begin with?

Rebekah looked from Kol and Elijah to Klaus.

"What are you talking about, alive?" She asked perplexed, "Nik, I know it's been a while, but I'm pretty sure Iris is still in Europe, busy with the Panthers as usual." She said with a resigned sigh and crossed her arms, "I talked with her several times during my months with Hope."

Kol nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I've talked with her every now and then as well," He added and kneeled down next to Elijah, "when I wasn't busy being dead or in a magical slumber, that is." He said crooking a grin, "I heard you two parted some ten years ago in a disagreement, but don't you think it's about time to get over that already? Considering everything that has happened?"

Klaus looked from Rebekah to Kol, eyes wide in slight confusion, not understanding what his siblings was trying to say.

"So she's real and she's not dead?" He asked looking at his older brother for confirmation. Elijah nodded, somewhat hesitant, confused by his brothers unusual acting.

"Dead?" Kol asked with a small chuckle, "Mate, Iris is one of the most powerful vampires we know," He said and winked, "If there was something threatening her, we'd know."

"Wait. She's a vampire again?"

"Again?" Kol repeated and looked up at his sister with a despairing look. Rebekah shrugged and turned away and took out her phone as it started vibrating.

"Hi Bekah it's Iris." The female vampire said in the other end, sounding somewhat disheveled, "It's been a while. How are you all doing? Is Nik okay? I just had the weirdest dream..."

* * *

 **A/N:** The End! :)

Well, when you're writing stories about immortal creatures, it never really ends, does it ;)

But this part of the story has ended.

If you're more curious about Iris and her relationship with Klaus and the Mikaelson family, check out some of my other stories featuring them. There's so much more to their story than this ;)

Anywho, how did you like this one? Any good?


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